St. Patrick’s Day is the celebration of the introduction of Christianity into Ireland.

St. Patrick’s Day is the celebration of the introduction of Christianity into Ireland.

Patrick was born in Scotland in the late 4th century and as a young boy, he was captured by raiders and taken to Ireland. There, he was an enslaved sheep herder.

After a couple of years, he had a dream that God told him to leave Ireland so he ran to the coast and left by way of some sailors. After going back to Britain he had another dream that the Irish people were asking him to come back and spread the word of God.

At the time, the people in Ireland were Pagans and Druids, and Britain was heavily Christian.

Patrick became a Bishop and was sent as a gospel to Ireland. He preached and converted thousands to Christianity.

St. Patrick died on March 17th, “St. Patrick’s Day.” The reason why people wear green to celebrate this day is because the three-leaf clover ‘shamrock’ was used to explain the holy trinity (father, son, and Holy Ghost).

Many of us Richmonders ‘celebrated’ St. Paddy’s day this weekend at Shamrock the Block and Shockoe Fest. These festivals are a lot of fun but there is nothing really Irish about them or anything that relates to the actual holiday, just a bunch of young adults walking around wearing green and blacking out.

However, this weekend, Saturday March 21st-Sunday March 22nd, the annual Church Hill Irish Festival is very commemorative of the holiday.

Things at this Festival that is celebratory of this Irish Holiday:

-Irish & Celtic: Crafts, Jewelry, Art

-Look up your Genealogy

-Highland Irish Dance Performances

-Bagpipe Players

-Celtic Irish Music

-A Harp Competition

-Guinness and other Irish beers (Smithwick’s, Harp)

-Sausages

-The Ladies of the Church make a Corned Beef Irish Surprise (corn beef, cabbage, potatoes, and onions)

-Food from Rosie O’Connoly’s Irish Pub and Rare Olde Times Irish Pub

-Mechanicsville Men’s Catholic Organization will be serving Fried Fish & Chips

This year is the festival’s 30th anniversary. It started in 1985 as a fundraiser for St. Patrick’s Catholic Church. Over the years, the festival was able to restore the church to its original look as it would have looked when it was built in 1859 by Irish immigrants. Now much of the festival proceeds go to charitable groups like Church Hill Crime Watch, Child Saver’s Clinic of Richmond, LINC (an organization of lawyers that help folks suffering from cancer with their legal issues like wills and trusts), St. Peter’s Meals Program, and many others.

The festival has always been volunteer-based as well.

“All the musicians, all the bagpipe bands, they all volunteer their time and talent to this event,” said Stokes McCune, the festival organizer.

The festival will be located at N. 25TH St. between East Grace and East Marshall, and East Broad between N. 24TH and N. 26TH.

On Saturday morning at 10am there will be a parade and Sunday morning at 9am is the Hill Topper 5k race put on by people in the Church Hill to benefit charities in the neighborhood.

On both days of the event there will be music, dance, crafts, food, and beer all day long. It is also a very family friendly event. There will be a huge Children’s Play Area with games and face painting set up in Patrick Henry Park.

Most vendors will be selling Irish and Celtic crafts but there will also local artists from the neighborhood selling their jewelry and artwork. There’s always been great traditional Irish food and there will be lots of other fare if you’re not into corned beef or sausages. Aside from ones I’ve already mentioned, Alamo BBQ, Strawberry St. Café, Curbside Creations, the Knights of Columbus of St. John’s Church will be serving chili dogs, and several more. Most important to the event though, is the music and dance.

“We have three stages. Two musical stages, a Celtic Irish music stage and a Bluegrass Acoustic stage, and we have a Highland Irish dance stage,” said McCune. “There are so many attractions and it just brings out everybody.”

The old world vibe of Church Hill being surrounded by the old churches St. John’s and St. Patrick’s and the old brick buildings adds to the Irish theme. The sound of the bagpipes and tap dancing while sipping an Irish beer walking in the sunshine makes you feel like you’re in Ireland.

The festival is very celebratory of this holiday largely because Richmond has a big Irish community.

“St. Patrick’s was built by Irish immigrants back in the 1850’s and most of the Irish Catholics in this community have come through St. Patrick’s church, the Parrish or the old St. Patrick’s school which was there for many, many years,” said McCune. “So there are strong ties to the Irish community with this church.”

Come experience a true celebration of St. Patrick’s Day and its Irish traditions this weekend at the Church Hill Irish Festival.

To learn more and to see the full band and dance schedule, check out their website and Facebook page.

Saturday March 21st 10am-7pm

Sunday March 22nd 10am-6pm

Suggested $5 donation.

Cold Irish beverages sponsored by Guinness and Loveland.